The World's Finest Presents
Episode #009 - Be A Clown
Original Airdate - September 16th, 1992

Mayor Hill's son feels overlooked and unloved at his own birthday party that is more a political media event than a real celebration. Meanwhile, the Joker infiltrates the party dressed as a clown in order to plant a bomb. The Mayor's son, a budding magician, becomes so enamored of the clown's tricks that he steals away in the clown's truck when the Joker leaves. When Batman tracks down the Joker to a closed amusement park, the wily villain plays on the kid's naiveté and uses him to trap the Batman.  

Media by Bird Boy
Review by Robin III
Credits
Written by Ted Pedersen & Steve Hayes
Directed by Frank Paur
Supervising Composer Shirley Walker
Music Composed by Michael McCuistion
Animation Services by Akom Production Co. Nelson Shin, President
Layout Services by NOA Animation

Voices
Kevin Conroy as Batman / Bruce Wayne
Bob Hastings as Commissioner James Gordon
Lloyd Bochner as Mayor Hamilton Hill
Jim Cummings as The Real Jekko
Mari Devon as Summer Gleeson
Mark Hamill as The Joker
Justin Shenkarow as Jordan

Screen Grabs







Pans



Quotes
HILL (on TV): There are just a few rotten apples giving an otherwise peaceful community a bad name.
SUMMER (on TV): Do you include Batman in those rotten apples, Mayor?
HILL (on TV): Absolutely. He and criminals like the Joker are cut from the same cloth.
JOKER: What?! Compare me to Batman!? I've got more style! More brains! I'm certainly a better dresser.
--
JORDAN: Where'd you learn that, Jekko?
JOKER (as Jekko): From the great Proscuitto! Now there was a ham!
--
HILL: I don't know where Jordan could have gone. He was dying to see you. Heh heh! You know kids!
BRUCE: Not really.
--
BATMAN FREES HIMSELF FROM THE STRAIGHTJACKET.
JORDAN: He did it! He got free!
JOKER (as Jekko): They don't make straightjackets like they used to. I should know.
--
JOKER THROWS A CUPIE BOMB AT BATMAN.
JOKER: You just don't like to play with dolls, do ya?!
 

Review: Probably the poorest Joker story on the Animated Series. It begins with a good idea, Joker making the Mayor vulnerable, but the story turns a bit off of the Mayor feeling weak and unsafe, and focuses on Joker being the Jordan's tutor in magic.

Some pluses in the episode are Bruce Wayne's blithering idiot act at the Mayor's party, but he still manages to save everyone's life. This is how I picture Bruce Wayne's playboy image, and wish that they would show it more. Also, the fight on the roller coaster was very well animated even though the drawing wasn't well done. It was more of a traditional Joker vs Batman ending.

One of the worst parts in the episode were the Batman one-liners. To name some, Batman talking about taking out the trash when he throws two thugs in a garbage dumpster, and worst of all: "Get ready for a little Bat-Magic!". Yeesh.

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